Tag Archives: Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the valuable contributions that women have made to politics, history, art, culture and science. If you run a small business, this is a holiday worth celebrating all month long. At least half, and possibly a majority, of your customers are women, and women’s history is a proud tradition that anyone can support.

If your business relies on neon or LED signs, think about using them to highlight the celebration and the achievements of women. Sometimes, the most valuable message you can put on your signage has nothing to do with products, sales or hours. Joining in the celebration of Women’s History Month illustrates to everyone that passes by your business that you care about the integral role women have played in this country and beyond.

Simply pointing out that March is Women’s History Month is a great start. From there, use your signage to celebrate individual women, especially inventors. Some of the most important items we use in day-to-day life were invented by women, but too few people know about them. These are a few examples to get you started.

Hedy Lamarr

In addition to being one of the most popular actresses of her generation, Hedy Lamarr was an accomplished inventor. During WWII, Lamarr helped to develop a wireless communications technology for transmitting classified information. Aspects of this technology are now used in everything from Wi-Fi to cell phones.

Patsy Sherman

Patsy Sherman was already a pioneer when she joined 3M in the early ’50s and became one of the few women working in the R&D department. She distinguished herself even further by inventing “Scotchguard” stain repellant, a product that is still widely used today.

Bette Nesmith Graham

Some inventions are so helpful, and so ubiquitous, that it is hard to imagine a time when they did not exist. When Bette Nesmith Graham invented “Liquid Paper” in 1958, she changed the way that people went about clerical work. Open up the drawers in any desk, and you are likely to find a bottle of “Liquid Paper.”

Mary Anderson

Before Mary Anderson, driving in rain, snow or inclement weather was next to impossible. That all changed when she invented the first set of windshield wiper blades in 1903. This simple solution to a common problem changed the way that people thought about automobiles, and the blades we use today follow essentially the same principles that Anderson pioneered.

This list barely scratches the surface of notable inventors. Think about the products and services that are most important to your customers, and do a little research to find out what role women inventors played in their development. As long as you are respectful and excited, there is no wrong way to celebrate Women’s History Month. Before we get any further into the month, configure your signage to offer a message of celebration.